What does it mean to draw, in detail, significant parts of artwork?

Firstly, your question is not stupid. There is nothing wrong with needing help and there is a possibility that your instructor did not clearly detail what it is you need to do.

I'm not clear on what kind of piece you're doing, but it sounds like a large-scale project. Generally, when an artist is working on a very large piece -- e.g., a painting, sculpture, collage, mural -- she will do preliminary sketches and will work from those sketches to determine what the figures or objects in the piece will look like. That's what it sounds like your instructor is asking you to do. 

Think along the lines of the preliminary sketches that Michelangelo did before he began painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He drew all of the major figures and scenes, such as The Creation of Adam and The Fall of Man. From those sketches, he was able to understand how the bodies would look, what they would be doing, their expressions, as well as how they would be organized in the fresco. This is what it means to "draw in detail some of the significant parts of the artwork." Your instructor wants to see what you plan on doing and if it will work. He or she wants to see your ideas. 

I hope this helps. Best of luck on the project.